Who are the scattered nine and one-half tribes?

Question

Dear Gramps,

Can you enlighten me about the nine and one-half tribes that are scattered? I don’t mean the ten tribes.

This question comes from reading a journal entry (Wandle Mace, BYU Special Collections typescript of original, p. 48-9).

Dennis

Answer

Dear Dennis,

The tribe of Judah and only part of the tribe of Benjamin accepted Rehoboam, the son of Soloman, as their king, and to avoid the apostate oppression of the remaining tribes under Jeroboam, they returned to Jerusalem, with the intention of continuing their Temple service there. They became known as the kingdom of Judah, while those that remained retained the name of the kingdom of Israel. In 722 B.C. the kingdom of Israel was captured by Shalmanezer and the people were transported to Assyria. Subsequently they disappeared completely and have come to be known as the lost ten tribes. The Kingdom of Judah was recognized as a nation until 588 B.C. when it was conquered by Nebuchadnezzar and taken captive into Babylon. Cyrus, king of Persia, defeated Nabuchadnezzar and returned Judah to their homeland 70 years later.

Gramps